Daily Consumer Holiday Spending, December 2008-December 2012 [CHART]

Chart - Daily Consumer Holiday Spending

Consumers reported spending an average of $83 per day in December in stores, online, and in restaurants (and excluding household bills and a home or car purchase), details Gallup in newly released figures. That’s up almost 10% from December 2011′s daily average spend of $76, and is the highest average December outlay since 2008′s $89. Gallup notes that while average spending hikes are typically driven by higher-income consumers, in December both higher- and lower-income consumers reached their highest average spending totals in at least 4 years.

Specifically, higher-income Americans ($90,000 or more in annual income) reported spending an average of $155 per day, up more than 8% from the previous year ($143), and even up from December 2008′s $137. While lower-income Americans (less than $90,000 annual income) did not spend more than they did in December 2008, their 2012 total of $67 outpaced December spending in 2011 ($64), 2010 ($63), and 2009 ($62). Read the rest at MarketingCharts.